Problem: Kevin has 24 oranges for every 21 apples. Write the ratio of oranges to apples as a simplified fraction.
Answer: Ratios can be written in a few different ways that mean the same thing. You can express a ratio with a colon separating the two numbers. $24:21$ You can write it out as a phrase like this. $24 \text{ to } 21$ Or, you can express a ratio as a fraction. $\dfrac{24}{21}=\dfrac{8}{7}$ Therefore, $\dfrac{8}{7}$ is the ratio of oranges to apples written as a simplified fraction.